JOAQUIN Jacob Babauta Jr., 33, was arrested after he was accused of sexually molesting two minor girls whose ages are 11 and 13 years old.
Babauta was charged with sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace.
At a bail hearing on Friday, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho imposed a $50,000 cash bail on the defendant who appeared in the custody of the Department of Corrections and was represented by Assistant Public Defender Emily Thomsen. Assistant Attorney General Frances Demapan appeared for the government.
After the court proceedings, Babauta was remanded to the custody of Corrections and was ordered to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 17 at 10 a.m., and for an arraignment on March 6 at 9 a.m.
According to the complaint against Babauta, the Department of Public Safety received a call reporting a sexual abuse of a minor incident on Jan. 15, 2023, at 3:38 a.m.
Following a forensic interview of the two minors conducted by Division of Youth Services personnel, investigators learned that Babauta had inappropriately touched the victims.
Their mother told police that she had received multiple messages and calls from both girls, stating that they were scared, and that Babauta was trying to touch them.
The mother said when she went into the girls’ room, she saw Babauta sitting on the their bed “with his legs facing out, hands holding his head.”
Babauta, in a freely given statement, told police that he was “blacked out drunk,” and that when he woke up, he saw two girls in the room.
Because of the incident, the victims’ parents have reported changes in the girls’ social behavior, police said.
